Eternal Silence
by Iced Perfection
Summary: The search for the Philosopher's stone has lead Edward Elric to the magical world of Hogwarts. A suspicious teacher is given the Dark Arts post. She feigns innocence long enough, but is she really who she says she is? COMPLETE!
1. Silent Laughter

**Edit: July 20, 2006**

_To everyone who just reads the first chapter and judges the story on that:_

I worked hard on this, and think that it deserves a chance. I know there are many flaws to it and things that need to be rewritten, but I think that it is good. I'd like to change some things, sure, but I don't have the time or the will to, seeing as I tried to do that (The Leviathan's Strength) a while back, but no one really listened to it. So I'm leaving it as it is and hope that people will actually get past the crappy writing and accept that this was written early on in my writing career and should be considered a "rough" draft, really. My newer pieces are much better and display my talent moreso than this one.

Thank you for reading my little rant and I hope you enjoy "Eternal Silence."

* * *

"Is this compartment taken?" 

Harry peeked into the last compartment on the Hogwarts Express. To him, it seemed like the population had grown, or there were less people that actually liked him.

A girl in normal clothing was sleeping with her feet on the seat opposite her. She had silver hair, though, which was a bit odd, but it didn't bother Harry.

"We can crash in here, you guys. There's someone in here, but I don't think she'll mind. She doesn't look like a Slytherin."

"She looks like one of those Veela, Harry. I'd rather sit with Loony Lovegood than with a Veela." Ron shuddered at the memory of Fleur as he sat down.

"She's not totally like a Veela, Ron. You should give people chances more often. Remember when we first met?" Hermione said.

"I'm not a Veela. I don't know what they are or why I look like one. Frankly, I don't even know who you lot are."

Ed, who had been standing in the door, was startled by the girl (who was supposedly sleeping) as she spoke. He stumbled backwards out of the compartment and right into the trolley loaded with sweets.

"Her…her mouth didn't move!"

The four looked at the girl, who cocked her head.

"What?" she said. It was true. When she spoke, her lips didn't move.

Harry blinked. "I guess it's okay…it could be worse…"

An light, airy laugh came from her as the others took their treats from the trolley and Ed finally managed to sit down.

"What's the deal with that?"

"I don't talk through my mouth. It's something along the lines of…telekinesis, as you would call it? Though not exactly."

"Um…I don't mean to be rude or anything," said Ron. "But who are you?"

"I'm Aileen Owarii. I'm the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher."

Everyone stared at her.

"You're a teacher? But…you can't be older than us!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I'm probably not. How old're you guys?"

"Sixteen."

"Then I'm younger than you."

Everyone stared again.

"You aren't sixteen?"

"I'm fifteen. I got my teacher's license this summer."

She held out her hand and a bag of Fritos appeared.

"Wait, how'd you do that?" Ron asked, chewing on a chocolate frog.

"Has to be Alchemy. She's probably like me, a real prodigy, except for the fact no one's ever heard of her," Ed laughed. He never failed to seize the chance to brag, though no one ever noticed.

"It's not."

"Then what is it?"

"Don't worry about it. You wouldn't get it if I told you."

After everyone finished their snacks, Aileen fell asleep again and the others talked for the duration of the trip.

"Should we wake her up?" Hermione asked as the trio stood up to exit the train.

"She's a teacher, right?" Ron said. "She should be fine."

"I'll be okay. Go on ahead," Aileen said, her eyes still closed. The four shrugged and filed out, anxious for their new year to begin.

* * *

Yes, Envy will show up sooner or later. It'll just probably be later than sooner. JK. He'll be here in a couple of chapters. 

And yes, I have another story pending, but I've already finished this one...I'll finish writing that one as soon as this one's done.

* * *


	2. A Dark Witch?

The feast had begun at last. The Sorting had taken forever to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Ed simply didn't care.

After about a half an hour of eating, a strange woman stepped forward from the staff table.

"Hem, hem…" she said, gathering everyone's attention.

"I am Dolores Umbridge, and I will be evaluating the school this year as High Inquisitor. The Ministry has sent me to—"

The doors to the Main Hall suddenly flew open, revealing a figure draped with a silver cloak.

"Who are you?" Umbridge cried.

There was no answer. Instead, the form walked forward towards the staff table.

"Where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher—that Aileen?" Hermione whispered.

"Oh. That's her," Ed muttered, his mouth full of food.

"Indeed Mr. Elric is correct. I am Aileen Owarii, here to take the position of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Aileen's voice echoed outwards to the walls.

"The school of Hogwarts has been left without the knowledge of the true Dark Arts. Until now, that is."

Drawing an arm out from under the cloak, a light gathered around her hand, forming in the shape of a staff. It was black and made of iron, a small cross-like figure at the top with a circle around the intersection, although it had no relation at all to Christianity as far as Aileen was concerned.

"I have come to teach you all the true essence of Dark Magic."

Touching the tip of the staff to the ground, black lightning issued from the end, spreading around the floor and up the walls.

"What is the meaning of this, hiring a dark witch to teach such a delicate matter? I should have taken the position, but you denied me of it! Dumbledore! The Ministry shall know of this!" Umbridge said, scribbling furiously on her clipboard in front of her.

A spark of fire suddenly took a hold of the clipboard, reducing it to ashes in mere seconds. Looking up, Umbridge found Aileen's staff pointed right at her, the black lightning gone.

"Do not underestimate me. Although I am an expert in the knowledge of such things, I am not a dark witch. I am not even truly a witch myself."

It was then Umbridge actually noticed Aileen.

"Her lips don't move! Dumbledore! You shall not have a witch like this teaching my precious students! You will not!" Umbridge began to throw a tantrum of sorts.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore's voice resonated through the Hall more so than Aileen's did. The whole room was silent, waiting for the next move.

"She is not a dark witch, Dolores. She is merely a teacher who is an expertise in the area of Dark Arts."

"You won't be so lucky next time," Aileen said, turning and striding out of the Hall. The staff disappeared in a glimmer of light, arousing conversations at all the House tables.

* * *

Hooray for short chapters. Going Christmas tree shopping now! Back soon, and I'll continue writing more. I might post the third chapter, if I'm not watching too many movies and goofing off… :coughFFXcough: 


	3. First Classes

Aileen woke from her dream drenched in a cool sweat. It was the same every night. Derived from the cruel memory from long ago, it always started with nothing, then turned into the image of her running down an endless hall. She kept running and running and it never seemed to end until she was suddenly pinned to the wall with a knife to her throat, at which point she woke up.

Shaking her head, Aileen flopped back onto her bed and fell asleep.

In the morning, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ed sat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

"What classes did you sign up for, Harry?" Ron asked, biting into a piece of toast.

"The usual. I'd actually rather not take Divination or Potions, but it's the only way I'll be 'well-rounded' when I graduate."

"Well it's true. If you take those classes, it will appeal to people who you might want to work for more than if—"

"Hey, guys?"

"Yeah, Ed?"

"Aren't we supposed to be in Transfiguration right now?"

* * *

Aileen was surprised at how well-behaved her classes were. It seemed that once they found out about how she didn't move her lips when she talked, they quieted down and actually paid attention. Even the seventh years did. 

As the class filed out, she turned to the window, where she saw it was raining.

Sitting on the window seat in the far corner of the room, she thought of how the rain brought back so many memories.

A cough came from the doorway, shattering the silence and Aileen's memories.

She quickly stood up and turned around. Walking in were the four she had met on the train.

"Oh, I'm sorry…I was daydreaming again…Please take a seat and I'll start as soon as everyone gets here."

Soon the room was full, and Aileen took her place at the front of the room.

"Please be quiet now. It's time to start."

Everyone looked around. The voice didn't seem to come from the front of the room—it was everywhere, almost as if it wasn't her speaking at all.

Aileen laughed. Again, the students looked at her. Her face was frozen in an unemotional look, like she didn't want to be where she was.

"Yes, it's true. If you haven't noticed already, I do not speak using my voice. I have it in my mind and speak through there. If you have a problem with it or me in general you may take it to the Headmaster."

The room was silent.

"Very good. As you may have seen last night, I did mention that you have all been missing out on the studies of other Dark Arts. One should not focus on merely their own world, as something may happen that is unexpected."

"I swear I've seen her before. She looks so familiar," Ed whispered to himself. "I just don't know where."

"Now, can anyone tell me what a homunculus is?"

Ed's head snapped up. What kind of "dark magic" was she going to be teaching them? How to create a homunculus? He frowned and scribbled something down on a piece of parchment.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Professor, you should actually be calling us by our surnames. And a homunculus is defined as a falsely-made human created by alchemy."

Aileen winced at her explanation. "Not exactly. And I'll call you however I want. I'm younger than you. I shouldn't be calling you by your surnames."

More murmurs went around the classroom. Younger than them?

"Settle down, class. Homunculi are fascinating creatures. They're more than just a _falsely-made human_—as you so bluntly put it, Hermione. Homunculi are people, like you and me, but—Yes, Edward?"

"Homunculi are evil. Their single purpose is to find the Philosopher's Stone. And mine, too," he said, mumbling the last part.

"But Harry destroyed the stone four years ago!" Hermione said.

"WHAT!" Both Aileen and Ed cried the same thing at the same time. For the rest of the day, neither was in a good mood.

"It's gone…" Aileen whispered after everyone left. "I came here for one thing, and it's gone…"

* * *

:sigh: not much of a chapter, but it'll have to do. 


	4. A curious assignment

"…and the seven Homunculi are Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Pride, Sloth, and Wrath. They are identified by this tattoo called an _orobus_. It looks like this," Aileen said. She pointed to the board. "Each has a special talent or unique characteristic. Please research one and give eighteen inches of parchment on the background and basic information of it. I want it on my desk on Thursday!"

The days were passing quickly now, and it seemed as through it had not already been a week of classes for Aileen.

Collecting the scraps of parchment from the desks, she began putting her things away for the night.

"Remember me?"

Aileen spun around, startled by the voice behind her.

"Envy!" Aileen smiled. It had been the first time she had smiled in weeks. Since she had left home. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been turned into Lust's messenger. She—"

The door to the room creaked open. Immediately, Envy changed forms.

"Oh…I'm sorry, Professors…I just wanted to ask Aileen to come help us in the Gryffindor tower in a bit with our homework. We have a rather curious assignment that we need assistance with." It was Harry, and the sight of Umbridge made him rush through his sentences and hurry out, slamming the door behind him.

"Jeez…are these kids really afraid of that old bat?" Envy said, changing back to his normal form.

"Apparently so. The only other person they act like that around is me. And it's all because of the lips thing."

"Ah, yes. The lips thing. It does freak people out, doesn't it?" Envy laughed as he ducked, avoiding a blow from Aileen's hand. "And you're going by Aileen now? I thought it was something else."

"No. I changed it again. That stupid ministry group was on my tail, and I didn't need them interfering."

"Anyways, Lust says you only have a little time left."

Aileen smiled again. "Tell her that it's been destroyed, but I know where to find everything. Don't worry. She'll get her stone."

Envy shrugged. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Later that night, Aileen went to the Gryffindor tower. Being a teacher, she had access to all the passwords, but the portrait that guarded the tower didn't seem convinced. 

"You're too young!"

"I don't give a damn, you stupid picture! I'm a teacher!"

Just then, Harry walked up, his arms full with books. "Professor! You came!"

"Of course I did, Harry. Now tell this dim-witted woman that I am a teacher and came to help you study!"

"She did," Harry said.

The portrait grumbled as she swung on her hinges to open the door to the Gryffindor common room.

Piles of books were everywhere, and there was little sight of students.

"Over here, Harry!"

"Oh, good! You brought Professor Owarii!"

Voices came from behind the books. Upon further inspection, Aileen noticed there were actually a number of students crowded around one book on a table.

"Don't call me that. Call me Aileen right now."

"Okay."

"What's the problem?" Aileen asked, finding a seat on a couch and sitting down.

"Professor Snape is having us create a Philosopher's Stone!"

Aileen's head suddenly snapped upright. "What?"

"He's having us make an imperfect Stone!"

"No, you idiot! He _doesn't_ want an imperfect Stone!"

"In any case, Professor, we need your help." Aileen turned to see Hermione with a large book in her hands. "We have no idea what we're doing. And it's due by the end of the semester."

Aileen laughed. "Is that all you're concerned about? I can take care of that for you. Is there anything else or did you drag me out here just so you could complain?"

"No, Professor! We need help on the homunculi assignment you gave us."

"Now that is a subject I know and can help you on. Fascinating creatures, homunculi…"

Aileen proceeded to tell every bit of information she knew on homunculi, and pretty soon it was really late.

"…and, as I've said before, the seven homunculi are…?"

"Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride, Sloth, and Wrath," everyone recited. She had said their names so many times it was easy for them to remember the names of the seven homunculi.

"Isn't it funny how the only homunculi are named after the seven deadly sins?"

Aileen looked up. "Edward! How nice of you to finally join us."

"I finished my other homework."

"Have you heard about Professor Snape's assignment? The one about the Philosopher's Stone?" The words seemed to roll off of Aileen's tongue—only through her head. To Ed, it seemed like she was mocking him. "A curious assignment."

"Do I know you?" Ed asked.

"Not that I know of."

A few more minutes of studying went by before Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ed decided to turn in for the night.

"Aileen? We're going to bed."

"Oh? 'Night." Aileen waved to the four and turned back to the student she was helping. Her silver hair fell to one side, revealing her back. On her back was something that made all four gasp in surprise.

It was an _orobus_.

* * *

Wow…cliffie! I'm too tired to write more now…I have to study Geometry, too, for my stupid midterm coming up on Monday……I don't like midterms…they're boring and pointless. Anyways, I might have chapter 5 up later today…coming along great, aren't I? 


	5. Cutting it a little close

The four Gryffindors rushed to the library as fast as they could run. Immediately, they grabbed a table and began talking in furious whispers.

"She's a homunculus!" Ed whispered, pulling a book off the shelf behind him.

"How do we know that? She could just be a person who is so fascinated by the subject she got a tattoo that looks like it!" Hermione whispered back.

"But I've read somewhere about an eighth!"

"An eighth what, Ed?"

"An eighth homunculus! There are only supposed to be seven but I saw the eighth someplace…"

"Leave the studying to me.. None of you know how to navigate this library more than me."

Harry, Ron, and Ed looked at each other.

"She's got a point there," Ron said. They stood up and returned to the Gryffindor tower, which was empty by the time they got back. The books had been cleared away and Aileen was gone. So much for double-checking.

As Ed climbed the stairs to the dormitories, he was beginning to doubt that the whole trip to Hogwarts wasn't such a good idea. The stone was long gone and it was highly doubtful that Aileen would be able to create one.

Falling face-first onto his bed, Ed drifted into a sleep that he would not be woken from until dawn.

* * *

The next class wasn't as interesting as it had been earlier. No longer did Aileen seem normal. Every day she grew more and more in the eyes of her students as a freak. 

The class ended as usual and Aileen gave out the project sheet she had made the night before.

"You'll need a group for this. Everything's listed, maximum four per group."

As the students left the room, Aileen opened the window. An owl flew in, a letter in its beak. Taking envelope, she carefully opened it, reading the note inside. After finishing it, she put it on her desk and started towards the stairs that led to her room.

"All right, Professor. We've got a few questions for you."

Aileen slowly turned around. Standing in front of her were Ed, Harry, Hermione, and Ron with determined looks on their faces.

"You're a homunculus, aren't you?" Ed smirked. "We know all about you."

"Me? A homunculus?" Aileen laughed. "Just because I know a lot on the subject does not make me one. If you were an expert on kelpies, would that make you one?"

"This is a totally different matter!" Hermione said.

Aileen shook her head and turned back to the stairs. Before she got too far, though, she was tackled from behind.

Ed had pinned her down, and Hermione brushed Aileen's hair aside. Nothing. She checked the other shoulder. Nothing.

"You're assaulting a teacher, you know."

"But…we saw your _orobus_ last night," protested Ron.

"An _orobus_? What time did you four leave? It was nearly nine. You must have gotten back around ten. It was late. You must have been seeing things," Ai said, getting up and brushing the dust off of her skirt. "And just because you have accused me of something unthinkable _and_ attacked me, I want two feet of parchment on my desk tomorrow on human transmutations: how it works, why it fails, and the consequences. Except for you, Edward. You will give me two feet on unicorns and their magical properties."

"But…that's not fair!" Ed complained.

"Six more inches on kelpies!"

Ed grumbled and stalked off.

"Professor, what's human transmutation?" Hermione asked. None of them had ever heard of anything like that.

"Here." Aileen handed the trio a large, dusty book labeled _Forbidden Alchemy_. They left to work on their essays and Aileen finally went to her room.

"Cutting it a bit close there, aren't you?"

"Hello, Envy," Aileen said, knowing who it was immediately.

"What was all that about?"

"They saw my _orobus_ last night. It wasn't really my fault. I was tired and not paying attention. I accidentally left it uncovered."

"We all make mistakes like that sometimes. Just don't make it again."

Aileen nodded.

"Did you get Lust's letter?" Envy asked.

"Yes. I don't see why you have to keep coming here, though. I'm working on the stone as we speak."

"I have other reasons for being here," Envy said with a sly smile. "It's not just the stone. I'm here to have fun."

Aileen put her hands on her hips. "And just what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing." Envy stood up and left, leaving Aileen alone. She flopped down on her bed and immediately fell asleep.

* * *

It's been quite a day… …it's hard trying to write in these conditions…it's too freakin cold. anyways, I'm working on chapter 6 now and will be posting before the night's over. Most likely.  



	6. Shrimps and Half pints

"One more inch. That's all I need."

"One? I still have six! I don't understand any of this!"

"None of us do, Ron."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ed sat at a table in the library, trying to finish their essays that were due within the next two hours.

Ed sighed. "I guess I'll have to add more on the unicorns…there's more information on them then there is on those stupid kelpies."

Within the next half an hour, the four had finished their essays, and were grateful for it.

Suddenly, Ed smacked himself on the head. "We are such idiots."

"What? Are you calling us idiots?"

"What am I an expert in?"

"Alchemy?"

"And what are you experts in?"

"Magic and…oh."

"Yeah."

It had just dawned on the group that they could have written each other's essays for the other—Ed knew all about human transmutation and Hermione knew the most about unicorns and kelpies.

Ed sighed. "Oh, well. We'll have to just keep it in mind for next time this happens."

"Next time?" Ron said, skeptical on the subject. "There shouldn't be a next time. It was your fault that we got into this mess in the first place! Accusing a teacher of being something that doesn't even exist…"

"Ron…" Harry said, a warning in his voice.

"You and your stupid homunculus thing. We should've never listened to you! You're just a half-pint shrimp!"

Ed's eye twitched. "Half-pint…shrimp…"

"_Twenty-three pizzas with shrimp on top, complete with four half-pint milk cartons. It's already paid in full, Mr. Elric…"_

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING A SHRIMP?" Ed yelled, jumping up to punch Ron.

A tap from behind stopped him cold in his tracks. "Might I suggest first quieting down then refraining from harming your friend?"

It was Aileen, holding a basket of cookies in one hand, the other outstretched still resting on Ed's shoulder.

"Madame Pince will be furious if she heard this." She held out the cookies. "Anyways, these are for you. Someone sent them to me in hopes of getting them to you."

Aileen turned and walked out of the library, her black skirt flowing behind her.

Ed looked down at the basket. Inside were about two dozen cookies, all coated in pink frosting and had exquisite designs on them.

The only problem was that they were all designed to look like shrimp.

Ed began to twitch again. "It was Mustang, wasn't it?"

A note fluttered to the ground. Ed picked it up.

_I'm hoping these reach you through Ai. She's been good so far. See you soon, Fullmetal runt!_

It was unsigned, but Ed knew only one person who would sent him a gift like this. Mustang.

Dropping the cookies on the table, he shoved the card into his pocked and headed towards the exit. Before he reached the door, he realized something.

Running up the spiral staircase to the second floor of the library, Ed grabbed the book he had seen earlier.

…_the legendary eighth homunculus. It is female in appearance and looks surprisingly like a Veela. Silence is its name, for its lips are sealed eternally and cannot speak: it has no vocal chords._

_No known witch or wizard has ever seen such a creature, wild silver hair glowing like the moon and eerie green eyes that seem so large and sad. They resemble a cat's, with vertical slits instead of pupils…_

"AH-HA!" Ed cried, unaware that the librarian was standing right behind him. She reached into the stack of books in her hands and whacked him several times, chasing him down the stairs and out of the library. She had allowed him to check out the book, but only because he had lied and said it was for an essay.

"_Magical Creatures and Where To Find Them Part II: A Wizard's Guide to Recently Discovered Outside Creatures of the Dark Magics?_" Hermione said, examining the book.

"Yeah! It has all this information on homunculi! I even found an entry that sounds like they're talking about Aileen! Look!" Ed whispered, pointing to "_The Eight Homunculus: Fact or Fiction?_"

Hermione read it over once. "I don't know. It does sound like Professor Owarii, but I don't think Ron would let me do this. It goes against my own morals as well."

"Fine," Ed huffed. "I'll do it myself."

"Professor Owarii?" Ed called, unsure if she was there or not.

"Oh, Edward. I was just finishing up the Philosopher's Stone. It's got a little time to sit, but I've—"

"Enough of the chit-chat. I know you're a homunculus. I saw your _orobus_ and there's a description of you right here in this book. I didn't imagine it that night."

Aileen took a long look at the chapter on homunculi. All of a sudden, students began walking in from lunch.

"So sorry, Edward. Maybe we can do lunch sometime?" Aileen said, pushing Ed out the door.

"Hey! My book!" Ed said, but his voice was lost in the sea of students entering the classroom. He backed away, stumbling out into the gardens. It was all he could do from getting crushed.

Ed returned to the Gryffindor tower, where he pulled out his research notes. A whole class period passed before he realized what he had missed. The stone.

"Damn!"

On the mountains adjacent to Hogwarts, there was a forest, and in that forest there were three people. But no one knew if they were people at all.

"Here's the stone, Lust," Aileen said, holding the crimson stone out. It was fairly small, but Lust didn't seem to mind.

"You're sure this is the real thing?" she asked, examining it in the light streaming through the forest canopy.

"As real as my _orobus_."

"Good." The stone began to glow. A red, crackly light began to issue from the stone, surrounding Lust.

"Finally…I will become human…"

Suddenly, the red light changed to a purple glow that sparked around Lust's body. In a flash of light, both Lust and the stone were gone.

Aileen's eyes went wide with terror. "I didn't mean to!"

Envy stood where he was. "Didn't mean to what?"

"I didn't make a real stone! It was just an imperfect one! I didn't think that this would happen!"

Envy shook his head. "It doesn't matter now. She's gone."

"But…I killed her!"

Envy laughed. "Killed her? More like _helped_ her. Now she doesn't have to worry about trying to be human. She's probably happier now."

"Why can't we just stay like this?" Aileen said in a low voice.

"Huh?"

"We're ageless! In our real forms we can never die! If we truly can become human, then what's the point? We'd just die anyways!" Aileen fell to her knees, tears running down her face.

Envy put a hand on Aileen's shoulder. "I don't want to become human. That was Lust. I don't even remember why she did in the first place. Now come on. We have to get back to the castle." He held out a hand for Aileen, who took it and stood up, brushing tears from her face.

Back at the castle, Aileen pulled a key from her belt and opened the classroom door. A voice made them stop dead in their tracks.

"Miss me?"

:gasp: Who could it be? It's probably obvious, but who cares. I need to write the next chapter, which might be the last…depends on how far I stray from the plotline written down here…No, Al is not going to be in here. Kudos to anyone who knows who sent the shrimp cookies. And thanks to The Black Inferno Alchemist for reminding me that this story _does_ need a bit of humor once in a while…read, review, and hope the last chapter(s) come before the night's over!


	7. Secrets revealed

"Miss me?"

"Edward!"

Ed was sitting on the table at the front of the classroom, where Aileen normally sat.

"You're the eighth homunculus, aren't you?"

"Duh. Did you just realize that?" Envy stepped up beside Aileen.

"No. I just didn't have time to ask her. And when I did, she denied it." Ed paused. "Wait. Why are you here?"

"I've been watching everyone. It was easy to get them to make the stone for me."

"What do you mean?"

A voice came from the door.

"I know."

"Must we reveal secrets to everyone today?" Envy groaned.

"You've bewitched Professor Snape into a mindless slave who will listen to only you!" Ron said, stepping forward.

Envy burst out laughing, unable to control himself. "Bewitched?"

"Ron!" Hermione smacked him on the head. "That's totally out of line! We don't even know who she is!"

Envy stopped laughing. "She…?"

Aileen hid a smile behind her hand. "Envy's a guy, Hermione."

Hermione blushed. "But…what kind of guy goes around wearing a skirt and has long, green hair?"

"Envy."

"Back to what I was saying. It was you who made Snape act all weird! He kept taking away points from the Slytherins! Snape loves those brats as much as he does the Dark Arts!" Ron pointed an accusing finger at Envy.

"Actually, that wasn't even him. Was it, Envy?" Aileen said, her gaze shifting to Envy's already changing form.

"Look familiar?" Envy had taken on the form of Snape, and sounded exactly like him.

"Told you," Aileen said.

"So that's why he—I mean you seemed to hate Slytherins! He—you—wasn't—weren't—really you…" Harry smacked his forehead. "This is a grammatical nightmare…"

"But…Professor Owarii!" Hermione turned to Aileen with pleading eyes. "Don't say you're really what Ed thinks you are!"

"If he says she's a homunculus, he'd be right. This is Silence, the eighth of the homunculus," Envy said, changing back to his normal shape and gesturing to Aileen. "Her lips are permanently sealed and—"

"—she has no vocal chords. The only way she can speak is through her mind. I know," Ed finished. "I read about her in that book I checked out."

"Then you're an expert on her."

"Not exactly. Since she's the "unknown" homunculus, no one has real information on her."

"Stop talking about me as if I'm not here!" Aileen cried, her face twisted in fury. "I'm a person!"

"No. You aren't. You're nothing but what Hermione said—a falsely-made human."

Aileen choked back tears when he said that. It seemed like whenever someone called them fake, she reacted in a way that she could not stop.

A clap came from where Ed stood, and Aileen found herself dodging a blow from his transmutated arm.

Lifting his arm again, he came back around. Aileen lifted her arms to try to block his attack. Envy was suddenly in front of her, blocking Ed with his sword.

"Thanks…" Aileen managed to get out. Envy nodded and handed the sword to her, and she took of running to the tower down the hall.

"I'm going to kill you," Ed muttered as he ran after the fleeing homunculus. "It's only a matter of time."

* * *

Up on the tower, Aileen continues evading Ed's attacks. Soon, Ed transmutated his arm back to normal and clapped his hands together and hit the ground with them. 

The tower shook once, then the walls surrounding them suddenly became flat. A larger diameter, yes, but a dangerous situation, for one could fall off of the edges which were no longer protected.

"I'll ask once more, Silence. I've seen you before. I know I have. Where was it?" Ed asked, backing up a bit.

Aileen sighed. "I guess it'd get out sooner or later. I think you were around twelve years old. It was at Central. You were there getting your license, and I was there to find information on the Philosopher's Stone."

Ed's eyes widened. "That was you?"

* * *

Not much of a chapter ending, but hey, it's something. I'm getting really frustrated with reviews here. If I don't get more reviews I won't post the final chapter. This one's a bit short, but the previous chapter (1400 words…wow…) made up for it. 


	8. Distant Memories

"Yes, that was me," Aileen said, staring off into the sky. "I narrowly escaped, and when I did, Roy caught me."

"Funny, he never mentioned that to me."

"He probably wouldn't have. He only let me go because I was younger and looked so harmless."

"Wait…you aren't fifteen then?" Ed questioned, lowering his auto-mail arm.

"No. I am actually as ageless as Envy, but slightly younger than him. I was created by someone who I do not wish to name, and I despise them for it."

"Back to the subject I asked you about. Why exactly were you there? Other than looking for the Philosopher's Stone, that is?"

"Lust sent me. I had just met up with her and was a bit lost. She told me that finding information on it would help me figure out my past and what I had to do to become a true human. Once I found out about its secrets, however, I took back ever wanting to become human. I wished to stay ageless, no matter how much Lust didn't."

"Touching. Didn't you jump?"

Aileen's eyes fell upon Ed's. "Indeed I did. One week in bed for every story I jumped—sixteen to be exact."

"But…why?"

"Because I didn't know what was going on! I was attacked! I didn't know much of anything at that time, and Lust and Envy showed me what to do! They showed me the true meaning of being a homunculus, even if I am one that can't really talk. And—"

"As much as I'd love to hear the story of your life, I've heard enough of that kind of thing from Hughes." Ed suddenly sprang forward, landing a rather solid blow on Aileen's sword. She pushed all her weight into it, driving Ed back a few feet, but seemingly not enough.

Relentlessly, Ed drove Aileen to the edge of the tower, cornering her just as Envy arrived.

"Aileen!" Envy yelled, running toward the two.

"Too late," Ed muttered as he hit Aileen one last time, pushing her off completely. Envy stopped moving, shocked.

Aileen seemed to fall slowly, almost as if she wasn't falling at all. But before she descended too far, she took Envy's sword and hurled it back at the tower. Ed, looking away at Envy, was struck by the blade, and fell forward on his knees.

Closing her eyes, Aileen splashed into the lake surrounding the castle. She floated down into the depths, all the while smiling.

Back on the tower, Envy was fuming.

"Ed, you…you…" Envy wasn't able to finish his sentence. Taking a hold of the sword's handle, he roughly ripped it from Ed's shoulder, causing the blonde to cry out in pain, blood running from the wound down his black shirt.

"You're lucky, Fullmetal runt," Envy hissed, turning to head back down the stairs.

"You sent the cookies, didn't you? The shrimp ones?"

Envy faced the other. "Yup. Took you long enough to realize it."

Ed grimaced in pain. "Well, it's usually Roy calling me shrimp, not you."

Shaking a finger at Ed, Envy smiled deviously. "You should've known it from what I called you."

"Yeah. Thanks a lot for that."

Envy's smile turned into laughter, which echoed off the walls in the stairwell as he disappeared.

"I…I'm actually kinda sorry, Aileen…but you were a homunculus and all…and…" Ed's vision swam with colors. Too much blood was being lost, he decided, but he quickly fell into a state of unconsciousness, leaving him on the broken tower alone.

"What…what is it?"

"I don't know…"

"Is it a girl?"

"With silver hair?"

"You never know. We have a lot of strange things going on out here…"

"Yeah, like those owls flying by in the daytime…"

"Pull it out."

"Why?"

"I said so."

"Why don't you pull it out?"

"You're closer."

Two men pulled a silver-haired girl from the icy river, unsure of where she had come from or why.

With no questions asked (except the ones above), they decided to take her to their village.

**Four years later**

Gazing up at the sunny sky, Ai seemed to remember something. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Memory lost, she woke up in the village of Tatiato and was welcomed, though it took quite a while for her to learn the language. She was an able-bodied person who seemed quite adept at any type of work and never seemed to complain. She was given the name Ai because that's the only part of her name that she could remember.

"Mother, what's that castle?" she asked her foster mother.

"None of us know for sure. That's where all the owls come from." Never a straight answer. Ai was determined to find out its secret some day, no matter what it took.

One of her foster-sisters, Fay, had called her over to the forest where they were picking the plants that were used as spices for foods. Picking up a basket, she hurried over and plucked several sprigs of what the village called rosemary and put it in her basket. Surveying the trees, she saw a strange plant.

It was growing at eye-level and was a dark green. Ai tugged on it and it did not move. Instead, a person emerged from behind the tree. He had dark green hair and had a strange tattoo on his leg that looked surprisingly like Ai's. Her eyes widened and she dropped the basked, its contents spilling on the ground.

"Miss me, Ai?"

**owari**

:hits head on laptop: I'm on a trip, currently, to the mountains for skiing. I said I wouldn't update, but you all leave me no choice. I will, just because it's been bugging me and I have to finish Vernal Equinox. Broke a thousand words with this chapter, even if most IS right here in my A/N…anyways, I need your reviews since skiing up here is…time consuming and…

ok. that's just an excuse for me to get you to review. It's just that I only have like, five reviews. I know one-shot stories that have hundreds of reviews! I know I shouldn't be complaining, but I just feel kinda sad that no one takes the time to read and review.

Cheers.


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